Literacy and Numeracy

     Mathematics - Multiple Solutions and Multiple Strategies 

At St James we believe in teaching students multiple strategies to solve problems and letting students choose the best strategy that works for them. We love it when students can take ownership over a certain way to solve a problem and find success. They really understand why it works and can then apply it to a variety of other problems.

Skilled mathematical thinkers have a variety of problem-solving strategies in their toolbox and can access them quickly and efficiently.  They understand that the same strategy doesn’t work for all problems and are able to apply the best, most effective strategy for each problem they solve, almost effortlessly or without even thinking about it.

We want all of our students to become skilled mathematical thinkers.

For example a question such as, 10 x  ? =  ? ? allows students to think about questions such as:

What is one possible answer?

How many different solutions are possible? 

Which equations do not work?

Asking for multiple solutions can be very powerful. I wonder if you can try this at home.

 Josh Crowe

                                                                   Mathematics Leader

                                             joshua.crowe@sjvermont.catholic.edu.au